If you’ve looked at the schedule for the 1-Day Domestic Immersion, you’ve probably noticed something unusual:

At 12:00 PM, we cook lunch together in English.

You might wonder: “Why cooking? I came to learn English, not culinary skills.”

Fair question. But here’s the thing: Cooking isn’t about food. It’s about forcing your brain to use English as a tool, not an object of study.

This approach is called Task-Based Learning (TBL), and it’s one of the most effective ways to learn a language.

What is Task-Based Learning?

In traditional English lessons, you study English as the object:

  • “Today we will learn the present perfect tense.”
  • “Repeat after me: I have been to Tokyo.”
  • “Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form.”

In Task-Based Learning, English is the tool:

  • “Let’s cook pasta together. I’ll tell you the recipe in English.”
  • “You need to ask me for the ingredients.”
  • “Explain to me how to cut the vegetables.”

The difference? You’re not thinking about English. You’re thinking about pasta.

And that’s when real learning happens.

Why Task-Based Learning Works

1. Authentic Communication

In a textbook exercise, you practice sentences like:

“Can you pass me the salt?”

You repeat it 10 times. You get it right. But you’re not actually communicating—you’re just performing.

In a cooking task, you need to say:

“Can you pass me the salt?”

Because I’m holding the salt, and you need it for the recipe. The communication is real.

Your brain processes this differently. It’s not a drill—it’s survival English.

2. Contextualized Vocabulary

When you learn vocabulary from a list, it’s abstract:

  • knife
  • chop
  • stir

But when you’re standing in a kitchen, holding a knife, and I say, “Chop the onions,” the word sticks.

Your brain links the word to a physical action, a smell, a context. That’s how memory works.

3. Forced Real-Time Comprehension

In a conversation class, if you don’t understand something, you can say, “Can you repeat that?”

In a task, you can’t afford to miss the instruction. If I say, “Turn the heat to medium,” and you don’t understand, the food will burn.

This forces your brain to process English faster. No translation. No hesitation.

Examples of Task-Based Learning in the 1-Day Immersion

1. Cooking Lunch (12:00–13:00)

We prepare lunch together. I give instructions in English. You ask questions. This is a perfect follow-up to the morning’s diagnostic session, where we identified your specific language needs.

Sample dialogue:

Me: “First, we need to boil water. Can you fill the pot?”
You: “How much water?”
Me: “About halfway. Now, let’s chop the vegetables while we wait.”

This isn’t scripted. It’s real communication with a real goal: making food.

2. Photo Description Game (15:45–17:15)

I show you a photo. You describe it in detail. Then I ask questions:

Me: “What’s the woman in the blue shirt doing?”
You: “She’s… uh… she’s reading a book.”
Me: “Where is she?”
You: “On a bench. In a park, I think.”

You’re not memorizing phrases. You’re using language to accomplish a task: describing a scene.

3. Communicative Games (Simulation)

We play Communicative Games like Codenames Duet 📺 or Spot It 📺. To succeed, you have to communicate clearly in English.

You can’t say, “Um… the thing… you know…” I won’t understand what you mean.

So your brain finds the words. Fast.

Task-Based Learning vs. Traditional Drills

Traditional Approach Task-Based Approach
“Practice saying ‘Can I have…’” “Ask me for what you need to cook.”
Focus: Grammar accuracy Focus: Successful communication
Motivation: Pass the test Motivation: Complete the task
Result: You know the rule Result: You can actually use the language

Why Cooking Specifically?

Cooking is ideal for Task-Based Learning because:

  1. Sequential steps (First, chop. Then, boil. Finally, serve.)
  2. Physical actions (vocabulary linked to movement)
  3. Immediate feedback (you see if the instructions worked)
  4. Real-world relevance (you can use this skill outside class)
  5. Collaboration (forces two-way communication)

And as a bonus: You get to eat lunch. 🍝

Other Real-World Tasks I Use

  • Photo description (practicing descriptive language)
  • Communicative games (negotiation and persuasion)
  • Planning activities (discussing hypothetical scenarios)
  • Problem-solving challenges (explaining solutions)

All of these force you to use English to accomplish something, not just practice for practice’s sake.

The Takeaway

Task-Based Learning isn’t a gimmick. It’s backed by decades of research in Second Language Acquisition (SLA).

When you use language as a tool to complete real tasks, you learn faster, remember longer, and develop true fluency.

So yes, we cook lunch in the 1-Day Immersion. And yes, it’s one of the most valuable parts of the day.

Ready to experience it?

Apply for the 1-Day Immersion